Glare and Mockery
by ShunKickShunKers
Summary: My twisted vision of Pride and Prejudice version Mentalist. completely Au again xD!
1. Chapter 1

**AN/ The idea popped up after watching (for the I-don't-count-anymore time) Pride and Prejudice****, and it stayed on my mind for some time. I started to label the characters and fill up the holes with others picked up directly from the show (at the end of each chapter, I'll put a kind of 'casting' for any references).**

**I had a hard time thinking about how I could join up the characters of the Bennet family without having to change their name and sticking to the story at the same time (I neither liked the idea of 'Teresa Minelli' nor 'Grace Minelli' or even Virgil Van Pelt or Lisbon :D**

**So, enjoy the first chapter of this new version of P&P!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Mentalist or Jane Austen's book at any point. I'm just a fan with a twisted mind and quite an obsession for Mentalist & AU xD**

**Disclaimer:****You don't like Mentalist and P&P? give it a try you never know ;D****. I also want to point out it's past one am (computer overdose again) so I might make even more mistakes. Hope you'll still enjoy it (won't blame you if you don't xD)**

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**Glares and Mockery**

**1. Welcome to the Minelli's**

The sun was slowly arising in the not-so-quiet countryside. Bird's pips started to resonate in the trees and the last nocturne animals were moving in the bushes. A lone rabbit ended its race in its burrow, escaping the figure hurrying on the paddled path longing the woods.

The silhouette enveloped in a hooded cape maintained a quick pace. Her sharp and ragged breath ejected a light cloud fog out of her mouth as she rushed in silence, hiding her frame behind the bushes. If anyone caught her, she was a dead duck; but thankfully, she knew where to go.

She hid behind the closest tree and checked her surroundings. Except for the goose guardian leaving the courtyard, no one was in sight. She waited until he had turned his back to her and ran to an unclosed window. She silently slipped through the opening in a small dark room where coats, closets and hanging clothes were everywhere. Once inside, her damp coat was quickly took off and hanged with the others on the wall. The young woman detached her tied hair, shook her head to loosen them and pulled out of the closest drawer a towel to dry them from the humidity of the outside. After she'd be done with it, all she had to do was to go back upstairs, sneak in her bedroom and more important, not wake up…

"Again with your escapades? I swear, Teresa you are incorrigible."

The annoyed voice made Teresa Lisbon froze. In the doorframe, a young woman in her early twenties was glaring at her. The added effect of tone and glare would have been more efficient if she had been really dressed instead of in her nightdress, and more important if her hair hadn't been messy from the past night. Lisbon couldn't stop grinning.

"Sorry Grace. I couldn't resist watching the sunrise from the cliff. It's magical! You should come with me one day."

The redhead shook her head, resigned, and then allowed a small smile to break on her face.

"Mother has already gone to visit her friend, she should be back soon; and grandfather is going to get down at any moment. You will have to thank Julie; she was the one to wake me up and make me realize you weren't in bed anymore."

Lisbon winced; knowing it meant her ten years old sister had a nightmare again.

"Sorry I wasn't there."

"You should take her instead of me" Grace went on, smiling softly. "I've seen enough sunrises for a lifetime with my father."

Lisbon nodded, understanding.

"Let's get the girls up, and we'll go eat breakfast" Grace said. "And you better change dress before anyone notice that the bottom of your dress is soaked."

**-****G&M-**

Waking up her sisters was something Lisbon did not look forwards to. Thankfully, Julie was in the bedroom she shared with Grace, waiting for them, still awakened. The blond little girl was actually lying down, humming some song and playing with the covers when they passed the door. Immediately, she was on her bare feet and beaming.

"Good morning Tessa!" she said, running towards her with arms wide open.

"Hello little one'" the dark-haired young woman replied cheerfully, hoisting the girl in her arms. "Are you okay sweetie?"

Julie just nodded and buried her face in her neck. Of course, Lisbon thought. Even though she considered Grace like her sister, Lisbon was always the one she would turn to if anything was wrong. The redhead rubbed the little blonde's hair and kissed the top of her head in support, before leaving to get dress. After putting Julie back on the floor, Lisbon checked her wardrobe for something _dry_. A few minutes later, the two elders were ready to leave and Julie looking very forwards for the next objective.

Their sisters, Emma and Maya, were identical twins, apart from their hair colour. For some genetic reason, Emma was undoubtedly blonder than her sister. That didn't change their manners, for both of them shinned by their desperate lack of common sense and didn't know how to hold themselves in company of strangers. Another point Lisbon disliked, the twins were the deepest sleepers God have ever created on earth. Opening the curtains wide, shaking them, speaking loudly…nothing would pull them out of their slumber. The manor could burn and crash down, burning in flames, Lisbon was certain they wouldn't even budge. So she always used the hard way. The ultimate, unique, Glass of Water.

_Splash_

"TERESA! JULIE!"

"That's not funny!"

Both cries assured the dark-haired woman they were wide awake now. Julie was grinning with the empty glass on the other side of the bed, and squealed when Emma straightened herself up and tried to catch the little girl.

"Grandfather will soon be up. We must be ready" she reminded.

"But…"

"No buts Maya" Grace replied firmly, frowning. "Get up, right now."

Reluctantly, they both stepped out of bed and started getting dressed. When they were all ready and went downstairs, their grandfather Virgil Minelli was already there. Despite his age, he was still a solid and strong man, retired from the army. He was quite respected in town, yet no-one really liked to be confronted to his sharp humour. He often clamed for example that his years of training as a soldier hadn't been a mental and physical preparation for war, but for the two silly gooses he still dared call his granddaughters living with him, namely the twins.

"Good morning" the old man said, nodding to them without lifting his eyes from his newspaper when they entered the kitchen. "Do you happen to know if my dear daughter is at the house of that voluble friend's of hers?"

"She is grand-father" Grace replied, leaving an empty chair between the old man. "Did you have a good night sleep?"

He grunted a 'yes' and continued reading. Unfortunately for Minelli, the peace he inexorably cherished was quickly broken by the noise of breakfast, the twin's incessant chatter, and a few minutes later, by hurried footsteps.

"You must hear the news!" Rebecca Van Pelt storming out of the door, her face red with excitement. Her black hair despite being tied in a tight bun, escaped from the elastic in messy locks, and she hastily took off her coat to sit down in the empty space Grace left earlier. The middle-aged woman was the oldest of the three daughters of Minelli. She was the first to marry a brave man, Roger Van Pelt, who died of disease when Grace turned ten. Minelli rolled his eyes and just ignored her. Lisbon couldn't really blame him. The woman always had the oddest and useless news to announce.

"We have a new neighbour! Mrs Lucas was telling me that her husband met him yesterday! She was so unnerving about it. Always rambling about his fortune and nice furniture and big manor and everything…Oh father, you need to greet him at once!"

"I already visited him my dear" he replied boringly. "He's indeed a plan and polite young man, but nothing exceptional."

Rebecca's face reddened with anger and embarrassment, while the two elders looked at each other in amusement and the twins giggled not too subtly. Julie observed the conversation with wide and curious eyes.

"B…but father! Why didn't you tell me sooner! This Mr Rigsby could be a very good husband for one of your granddaughters! He's awfully rich and successful; and he'd be a very good match…"

"Mother" Grace intervened "why don't you try the eggs? They are going to turn cold, and Manna made sure they were fresh from this morning. I assure you they're delicious."

Grumbling, the middle-aged woman plunged her fork in her plate and ate without complains. Apart from Minelli, the only person capable of reasoning the impulsive woman was her daughter, Grace. Perhaps due to the fact she took up most features and behaviour of her deceased father.

Lisbon smiled slightly when the woman had called them 'granddaughters'. Despite being the children of her younger sister Rowena, Rebecca had never put Grace before the four girls. When Lisbon and her three sisters had come back living with Minelli, their aunt adopted them immediately. Rowena was her cherished little sister, and her death had hit her pretty hard. Maybe the fact that Lisbon was a perfect replicate of her mother helped her overcome her grief and made easier the acceptance of the four children. Or maybe it was the fact their father wasn't as loving as he used to be, after their mother's death and she pitied them.

"Is he coming to the ball?" Emma asked, wiping her hands in a napkin. "I mean, he must come to the ball! He's a newcomer and what's the best to meet new people? To go to…"

"We got your point Emma" Lisbon cut when she noticed the frown on Minelli's face. He looked at the girl's expectant face, and sighed, folding his newspaper.

"For you Rebecca, I will give my consent to any of my granddaughters he chooses. And for you Emma, yes, I believe he will come to the ball."

If any walker happened to pass by the Minelli's manor at that very moment, he would have heard the nigh-pinched squeal of a very, very cheerful girl.

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**Yeah, I really reorganized the family tree. So here's the summary of the thing & a few clarifications:**

**Virgil Minelli is the grand-father. His three daughters, Rebecca, Rosalind and Rowena, married in their young age with (respectively) a Van Pelt, a Harker and a Lisbon.**

**Rowena Lisbon died when Teresa was twelve and left behind Teresa, Maya and Emma (twins) and Julie in the hands of their father**

**Rebecca is Grace's mother. Mr Van Pelt died when Grace was 10, and Minelli took them back under his care. He did the same for the four Lisbon children when he discovered father Lisbon was mistreating them.**

**Virgil Minelli lives now with his eldest daughter, Rebecca, and five granddaughters, Grace, Teresa, Maya, Emma and Julie.**

**I know, I have a twisted mind ^^". Anyway here's the "casting" for the Bennets:**

**-The ****Bennets**** / The Minelli's**

**-****Mr Bennet****: Virgil Minelli**

**-****Mrs Bennet****: Rebecca (2.(1-8) - Bosco's secretary)**

**-****Jane Bennet****: Grace Van Pelt**

**-****Elizabeth****: Teresa Lisbon**

**-****Mary, Kitty, Lydia****:**

**-Emma and Maya (1.23 **_**Red John's Footsteps**_**; twins one kidnapped –the other was murdered by RJ)**

**-Julie (1.4 **_**Ladies in Red**_** –Victim's daughter)**

**Thanks for going so far :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to ****lilyhermionepotter17; NikkiHeat; ****AureliaMarie;**** Liz; ****Frogster; ****ThranduilsDaughter; ****Helvetica Bold; allthelostfluffies ;  
****LoverofSakuSasu; ****raquelvalente91; ****Iloveplotbunnies****; 13Jo for their reviews ****(OO" first time I get so many reviews for a 1****st**** chapter!)Thanks to the alerts and favourites too XD**

**Disclaimer:**** you don't like P&P and Mentalist? Give it a try, you never know ;) and this hadn't been beta-ed, so mistakes are mine. Hope you'll enjoy it anyway (won't blame you if you don't ;D)**

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**Glare and Mockery**

**2.**

_If any walker happened to pass by the Minelli's manor at that very moment, he would have heard the nigh-pinched squeal of a very, very cheerful girl._

_-__Same moment, a few miles away…-_

Two riders were galloping in the morning sun. A brown-haired and a blond man were side to side, making their horses run at steady pace. The blond suddenly stopped his chestnut horse and, after a quick glance around, pointed a building in the faraway.

"Isn't that your new manor over there Rigsby?"

The taller one halted too and hoisted himself on the saddle of his black horse. Frowning in recognition, he nodded, grinning.

"Yeah, yeah I think it is. You have great eyesight my friend! I wonder why your doctor told you to get some fresh air" Rigsby teased as he manoeuvred his horse to get closer to his friend's. "So anyway, what do you think? Haven't I done a good bargain here Jane?"

"It is quite a nice place" Jane replied, too busy looking around to think of an adequate reply to the taller man's joking, giving a small hit in his horse's ribs to make him move again. "I admit you did a good choice. The atmosphere is nice and quiet, and obviously quite different from town."

"I bet it still won't beat your palace" Rigsby teased. The blond man shrugged; a light grin on his face.

"No place will ever beat your homeplace my friend. And I shall add, the house I see over there seems much bigger than mine."

They trotted another hour, commenting on the houses they could see in the distance. Suddenly, the brown-haired man shot:

"Sophie and the others should soon be arriving now. Hey, you want to race back to the manor?"

"You're on!" Jane shot back, and they both laughed as they pushed their animals to gallop faster.

**-****G&M-**

The manor was a fine building, nicely decorated on the outside and with a large courtyard and gardens. Trees were boarding the entrance path and domestics were hurrying around, carrying the luggage from a horse-drawn cab. A second cab arrived exactly when the two riders penetrated the court, walking next to their panting horses. It stopped, and the door opened. An Asian man with an imperturbable face stepped out first, and held out his hand to help a blond woman get up from her sitting position. Both men walked up to them, not giving away their animals yet. She didn't notice their presence right away, busy wiping the white dust made by the dry stones of the ground off her long and elegant coat. When she caught their reflection in the window of the carriage though, she turned immediately towards them, a hand over her chest.

"Good grace Mr Jane!" the blond woman said in a very surprised tone. "You are already here? I thought you were expected tomorrow?"

"Good morning Miss Sophie" Jane said, bowing with respect and resisting the urge to point out they had been there since the previous day. "I dare hope you had a nice journey."

He took her hand and brushed its back to respect the conventional greeting. The Asian man remained a step behind, but Jane still nodded discretely to greet him too.

"Your hopes are high, Mr Jane" Sophie Rigsby replied almost sharply, not noticing the quiet exchange. The glance she shot at the butler next made him understand she had been bored out of her mind. He couldn't really blame her: Kimball Cho was perhaps the most loyal butler he had in years, but the man wasn't known for his conversation. The woman quickly regained her self-control and added with on a more suave tone: "But I am delighted at your early presence."

"The pleasure is all mine" he replied with a smile before returning his attention to his friend. "Say Rigsby, why don't we send these two" he pointed both their horses with a nod "back to their stable? I'm sure they could have a good rest after all we've made them suffer. Cho, do you mind?"

The man nodded and led both horses away wordlessly. Rigsby chuckled:

"Always the stoic man, hum? He really lives to serve you, Jane."

The blond man shook his head and sighed. He had sent the man away because Cho would be way more at ease with the horses than stuck with Miss Sophie's blabber. Lucky him.

"I don't see it this way" Jane eventually muttered for himself, then added on a higher tone: "Why don't we take a look inside? Will you, Miss Sophie?"

The blond woman had a hard time restraining a wild smile and politely accepted his arm when he offered it to her. Then, the trio climbed the steps into the new Rigsby residence. The exploration of the new house didn't last long, only Sophie hadn't visited the place before and the woman was craving above all some rest after a long journey. After a short lunch, the three headed in the living room and started discussing various matters.

"There's a ball tonight. Mr Lucas invited me to join."

Tea and coffee was brought in. Jane lifted his head as he picked up his cup and frowned, remembering the visitor of the previous day.

"Mr Lucas, you mean Mr Plump-and-Awkward who came to greet us with his so-agreeable friend Mr Moody-and-Grumpy? What was his name already?"

"Mr Minelli" Rigsby replied

Sophie snorted with a clear expression of disgust as she put down her cup.

"Those country people aren't the most welcoming, are they Mr Jane?"

Jane rolled his eyes and grinned amusingly:

"The art of being received by your neighbour. My dear Rigsby, you are going to be the local source of gossip for the next two months. Will you be going tonight?"

"Of course I am! I need to meet my neighbours! Will you come with me?"

The blonde's man face froze. He gently posed his cup of tea and started speaking, mind obviously racing for an acceptable excuse for a refusal:

"You know…"

"Oh please! I'm not sure I'll be comfortable enough alone with those people. You know how nervous I am at first encounters…and maybe you will get to know some people and actually enjoy yourself!"

"Wayne!" Sophie protested. "Don't embarrass Mr Jane so! I think he is free to refuse, and I believe you are still adult enough to go on your own."

Spotting the supplication in the puppy eyes, Jane understood the man wouldn't leave him alone till he accepted. The blond man sighed and agreed reluctantly. Alone in the manor with Sophie's sole company didn't sound so appealing anyway.

"I can't promise I will be on my best behaviour though."

"As long as you don't insult every single of them, I will go with it" Rigsby grinned. "Will you be coming too Sophie?"

"If Mr Jane is going, it would be rude not to accompany him. Of course I will be with here."

Jane sighed again, slightly annoyed. Not that he didn't notice his best friend's sister non-stop attempt of seducing him, but he couldn't find a way to push her away without hurting her feelings. He needed to have a word with Rigsby about this. The blond man took his cup in hand again, deciding it was going to be a long evening.

**-****G&M- **

Lisbon decided it had been a long time since she had so much fun. An orchestra of violins playing cheerful music, a room filled with dancers, a buffet with servants walking around with glasses and food for everyone, laughs and animated talks around them…Along with her best friend Amanda Lucas –nicknamed Mandy, the twins and her cousin, they hadn't stopped dancing and laughing since the beginning of the evening. Julie and Minelli had stayed at home, the first one for being too young and the second because he didn't want to bear the never ending chatter of his elder daughter Rebecca, always searching for the perfect match for the girls, even in a public ball like this one.

The young woman was catching her breath against the wall, next to Van Pelt and Mandy, scanning the crowd for a new prey for the next dance. Van Pelt shook politely her head to a new suitor, mentioning she was stopping for a while.

"He's the third one you've pushed away in five minutes" Lisbon shouted to cover the music, once the poor boy was gone. "Are you waiting for the tenth to get back in the crowd?"

"Please Teresa, stop insinuating they are making a line just to ask me to dance" the redhead shook her head in annoyance.

"Only when will you recognize you are the cutest and nicest thing around" the dark-haired woman shot back, grinning. "Men won't stop ogling you all night, and even after you're married, your husband is going to have to worry about envious glances all the time."

Grace hit her arm playfully before she returned her attention on the current party and clapped at the rhythm of the cheery music. They were so lost into the music they barely noticed when the doors opened. When the music and the dancers stopped, Lisbon turned her head and saw what caused the interruption. Three strangers were standing at the entrance. Mr Lucas moved forwards to welcome them. Because of her small stature, the brunette had to hoist herself on the tip of her toes to catch a glance of the newcomers over Mandy's shoulder. The taller one, a dark-haired man, bowed first in return to the greeting, quickly followed by a blond woman and a blond man, both positioned on his right and left side. She guessed there was the new infamous Mr Rigsby showing up with two friends or family, but who was who?

"Mr Rigsby is the taller one" she heard Mandy whisper, as if answering her thoughts. "On his right is Miss Sophie, his sister."

"And who's the one with the poor excuse of a smile on his face?"

"I think he is Mr Jane, Mr Rigsby's best friend. And perhaps his smile is cheap, but he is said to own a huge domain in California, just next to Sacramento. His family came from Australia."

"Yeah, well I wonder if he realizes he doesn't trick anyone with such a poor mask." she muttered. Both she and Mandy chuckled.

The three newcomers walked across the room slowly, discreetly glancing around as if discovering a new environment. Rigsby had a hint of apprehension over his features, his sister didn't hide well the evident boredom and the said smile on Jane's face turned closer to a smirk. Lisbon kept her head raised a few moments longer to get a better glance of them, her shortness not allowing her a good view. Jane suddenly glanced in her direction. Their eyes met, and for a brief second, she thought his fake smile faltered slightly and a hint of curiosity lightened his features.

But it was just a second, and his look drifted away. Lisbon nearly shook her head, and snarled at the thought of him being intrigued by her and the other way around. She would not waste her time speaking to a man always wearing a mask anyway! The music started again, and the dancers returned to their previous activity. Lisbon, fully rested now, was about to melt into the crowd again but Rebecca was faster. Her aunt almost knocked them down when, hurrying to make her way through the dancers, she grabbed both her daughter and niece's hands, insistent warnings in her eyes.

"We are greeting them my dears" she snapped before Lisbon or Van Pelt could protest. "And we are _right now_!"

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**Was this one up to your expectations? Please enlighten my cloudy day (very windy and cloudy weather out there…thankfully, the caretaker of my university dorm put the heating back on) by pushing the green button below**** and letting me know xD**

**Next chapter, Lisbon and Jane interaction! **

**Thanks for reading so far! **

**-The Bingleys: The Rigsbys**

-**Charles**: Wayne Rigsby

-**Caroline**: Sophie Miller (1.10 _Red Brick and Ivy_ – Jane's former psychologist)


	3. Chapter 3

**Heya people! I know it has been a while since I've update this one (months…if not a year? I'm way too ashamed to check the dates -_-") ****Anyway, since I have loooots of time ahead (hopefully the mortician shop won't be invaded this week) updates should show up sooner. I've also rewritten some parts of the previous chapters, so if you want to check them too...it _has _been a while "=.=**

**Thanks to Iloveplotbunnies ; Frogster; lea; chocolatefan; veshier; Irises4ever; Jisbon4ever; 13 Jo; raquelvalente91; FindingTheSilverLining; allthelostfluffies; AlissaRose; Nekamille for their reviews, and thanks for the alerts and favourite too :3**

**Disclaimer: if I owned Mentalist or P&P, I wouldn't have to worry about my bank account and I'd be very, very old. Unfortunately and fortunately, I am neither :P Mistakes are mine, but hope you'll enjoy this (won't blame you if you don't ;3)**

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**Glare and Mockery**

**3.**

The ballroom was larger than he though, Jane mused as he walked into the grand hall. Crowded, as he expected, filled with people from almost every rank he could hope finding in these countryside environment. The music stopped at their arrival, and they suddenly became the centre of attention. Rigsby's back straightened so fast it almost made the blond man chuckled. The discomfort his friend was currently feeling wasn't necessary though, Jane knew it wouldn't last anyway. The tall man was too much of a party man to remain uncomfortable around people very long.

On their way up to meet the organiser of the party, he couldn't help but discreetly scan thoughtfully the people around him. Everyone was trying to catch a glimpse of the newcomers, and he could already hear whispers and theories running on their reputation. The man felt the urge to snort. People would always be _peopling_; being curious and nosy and cruel in their own way. Jane knew that within the hour, his rising popularity due to his good looks would soon be beaten by his friend's joviality and good-nature. Perhaps he should just wait until the taller man had integrated the community to leave for whatever pretext. No-one would miss him afterwards anyway.

A flicker of dark in the crowd suddenly caught his attention. A petite young woman was glancing at them with difficulties, half-hidden behind a taller woman, her eyes seeming to scan the newly arrived. No malice in her features though, so her curiosity must be genuine, he supposed. It seemed like this countryside had less visitors than he originally thought. And if the rumour spread that both he and Rigsby were single…the free time the man had thought gaining by renting a house here would be just a waste of money. He looked away, suddenly aware he was staring longer than necessary and focused on the small, rounded man cheerfully greeting them.

"Welcome to the ball" Mr Lucas said with a restrained, yet genuine smile on his face.

The violins returned to their energetic melodies, dancers returned to their dances, and chatters returned to spreading new rumours. Sooner than he thought, a dark-haired woman popped out of nowhere, half-dragging two others behind her, and a third one following with a light smirk on her face. He soon realised one of them was the petite woman he had spotted in the crowd earlier. She didn't seem very enthusiastic by her position, yet didn't dare slip away from her mother's claws. No, not mother. Relatives, but not mother. Her aunt perhaps?

"Good evening Mr Lucas" the older woman said on a fast, impetuous and determined tone. Jane identified her genre immediately. She was the kind of woman wanting to marry her daughters to ensure them a comfortable living, and would not rest in peace till that goal had been attained. Not that he blamed her much; she was doing it for her children, not herself. Or not much for herself.

The older man blinked and remained speechless a second before coming back to his senses.

"Oh, good evening Mrs Van Pelt" he said before turning towards his guests. "May I introduce you to Mr Minelli's second daughter, Mrs Rebecca Van Pelt" the dark-haired woman bowed politely. Jane immediately took note of the family ascendance. She was Mr Grumpy-and-Moody's descendent so the two younger women were Minelli's granddaughters. Dully noted.

"Her daughter, Miss Grace Van Pelt" the tall redhead bowed gracefully in turn. "Her niece, Miss Teresa Lisbon, and my daughter…." So he was right, the dark-haired younger woman wasn't related directly…or so to say, to the dark-haired older one…

Funny, since…Miss Lisbon -was it?- looked more like Rebecca Van Pelt than Grace Van Pelt resembled her mother. They had the same hair obviously, but some of the features…while Miss Van Pelt's were soft and refined, Miss Lisbon's were sharper –especially the line of her jaw at some angle- but the shape of her nose, the small mouth and the freckles spread over her face made up for that little detail and gave her an extremely feminine aspect. According to her silhouette, thin yet not skinny, and her demeanour, he bet she spent most of her time outside. He imagined perfectly the tomboy she would be with untied hair and a more…aggressive expression. Quite alluring and attractive picture, Jane couldn't help but thing with an inside grin.

Deeply lost in thoughts, he barely realised Mr Lucas was introducing them to the women and bowed right in time. A few seconds later, his mask was fully set and his mind and mouth ready for some witty remark. If this Rebecca Van Pelt decided to draw her claws and praise her daughter and niece's greatnesses, he would be there to counter.

**-G&M-**

Thankfully in Lisbon's mind, meeting the two men didn't last very long. Mr Rigsby seemed to be immediately smitten with Grace, and Jane hadn't said a word, merely stared at her so creepily she had decided to run to her friend's safety. Mandy welcomed her return warmly and both returned in the dancing crowd. Later, they were both into a deep discussion when Lisbon spotted Jane and Rigsby talking a little apart. She turned quiet, turned between overhearing their conversation or ignoring them. The former impulse won.

"Why don't you dance with one of the lovely ladies around? Maybe Miss Lisbon? I heard numerous positive comments about her. She is no doubt agreeable, cool and calm and as a bonus, quite good-look…"

"You're dancing with the most charming creature around, Wayne" Jane cut dryly. "And I don't want my shoes to be walked on, thank you."

_I don't walk on shoes! _Lisbon thought indignantly. Mandy, who was listening next to her, open her eyes wide at the man's words.

"Go back to the delightful Miss Van Pelt instead of trying to cheer me up. You're wasting your time with me my friend."

The blessing given, Rigsby flew back to Grace immediately. Jane, turned to greet another guest and put up his _amiable_ façade, which would be destroyed within minutes again. Lisbon glared at the man with an indignant look before her attention was caught by Mandy.

"See the good side of the thing" she said tentatively. "If he liked you, you'd have to bear his mockeries all evening. I heard Mrs Dawson wondering how such a handsome man could be so rude and taunting. I know that old harpy doesn't like many people, but given what I overheard from his conversations…"

Lisbon sighed and nodded. The last thing she needed tonight was to start a scandal for a few displaced words.

"Don't worry Mandy, I won't lower myself into turning irritated with that man. You heard Mr Rigsby, right? Cool and calm, that's me" she added with a wink. Mandy chuckled and nodded in understanding.

A little later, the young woman was invited by a boy for a new dance, and Lisbon stood against the wall to catch her breath. She noted then Jane was standing a few feet away from her, alone as well, for Sophie had apparently deserted him to join her brother. After a short hesitation, Lisbon decided she could still try to start a conversation with him. Even if the man seemed to be the mocking type, it didn't mean he was basically mean or hurtful on purpose. She would give him the benefice of the doubt and put his earlier words on the account of tiredness and a way to chase his friend away.

"Do you dance Mr Jane?"

"Not if I can avoid it."

The clear, slightly mocking tune in his voice turned the glint of annoyance up. Lisbon snorted not so elegantly and narrowed her eyes at him. Her last ounce of pity had just evaporated.

"No need to be so rude, sir. I wasn't about to request to put your talents into practice right now."

The blond man raised his brows in genuine surprise and stared back at her. The bluest eyes she had even seen seemed to pierce through her own, and she felt he could have access to all her private thoughts -which, she admitted to herself, would have been quite humiliating at the very moment.

"Oh really?" Jane replied with that same teasing, frustratingly annoying amused tone. "What is the purpose of asking someone his level in this matter _right now_ if you were not intending to suggest a dance?"

Lisbon tightened her fists to avoid the impulse of raising her hand for a forceful encounter with his cheek when he grinned cockily.

"I am truthfully sorry to disappoint you Miss Lisbon, but I never wanted to come over at first place. Do not expect me to play the perfect guest tonight."

"Then perhaps you could show some manners instead of entertaining yourself on other's behalf" she snapped back before hissing on a lower tone: "Plus, I don't remember walking on anyone's foot tonight."

The man blinked and, to her surprise, chuckled amusingly.

"So, not only you have a hard time controlling your temper –no need to deny Miss Lisbon, you are dying to punch me, it is written in your eyes- but are you also proud and oversensitive?"

"And do you need to point out every little detail you read in your neighbour's eyes? I don't believe this is the best way to make friends."

"Sorry to disappoint you again then, Miss Lisbon, because I have no intention of making friends. As I expected, no-one really appeared to be interesting enough to entertain me tonight."

The young woman narrowed her eyes at him. A few people around quietened and glanced at their exchange. He ignored them. His only centre of attention right now was the pretty infuriated Lisbon. She was more fun to tease than he had first expected.

"If no-one is _interesting_ enough in your eyes" she snapped dryly "Why don't you just go back in town to hide from too humble people like ourselves? Good-bye Mr Jane."

Just as she started to step away, he caught her arm gently to stop her. Lisbon turned back and sent him her best glare. Jane released his grasp slowly, startled by such a fierce reaction from such a small woman.

"Do you wish for an apology?" he asked coolly, trying not to get lost in these wonderful, sparkling green eyes.

"You won't mean it" she retorted dryly. Jane couldn't help smirking again.

"I won't indeed, but let me at least compliment you on your behaviour. Completely unladylike. Are you sure to be the Teresa Lisbon, so cool and calm I heard about? You rather seemed to be her evil twin."

"Jackass" she snorted before walking away, even more frustrated now. Not only was that man proven to be rude and disrespectful, he also showed his sweet tendencies for mocking and getting under her skin. She officially hated people like this.

On his side, Jane's gaze didn't leave the petite woman's figure walking out. He barely paid attention to Sophie, who had come back sometime during the conversation, trying to catch his attention, too caught up in the memory of her shinning, pride-wounded eyes. He had been definitively wrong when he had thought and claimed earlier that no-one would catch his attention tonight. Teresa Lisbon _was_ a little phenomenon he definitively did not regret encountering. Perhaps he should stay at Rigsby's house for a while. He _did_ need fresh air after all…

**-G&M-**

The party had ended late enough and all women had returned to their house. When Lisbon and Van Pelt went to bed, none of them was ready to sleep yet. The dark-haired young woman had a hard time getting out of her festive mood, and her cousin seemed to be distracted. It didn't take long before Lisbon realised she was daydreaming. As they lay down on the mattress, she couldn't help but tease the redhead:

"So, who is the lucky fellow you've been thinking about all night?"

Van Pelt blushed lightly, and Teresa continued on the same amused tone.

"Let me guess…he is tall, dark-haired, and had just arrived in town…"

The redhead smiled softly, knowing there was no use in hiding such information from her cousin and best friend.

"Wayne is a good man" she admitted. He is polite and gentle…"

"And he's handsome and awfully rich" Lisbon added teasingly. "Good catch Grace, Aunt Rebecca will be thrilled."

The redhead slapped her cousin playfully on her shoulder before sighing.

"He doesn't see me like this, Teresa, be barely met!"

"But he spent half of his time dancing with you and kept staring you the rest. I am sorry Grace, but I think he was completely besotted the moment he laid his eyes on you. Believe me; Aunt Rebecca is going to do everything to marry you with such a rich man. The fact he has a pretty face and does not seem completely stupid is just an added bonus."

Grace sighed at her cynicism.

"You should try to see things from a more emotional level sometimes. Not everything in this world is about goods and money."

The brunette shrugged and curled more into her covers.

"No-one will ever manage to put up with me, and I will never surrender to a man" she replied on a determined voice. Despite loving their mother, Peter Lisbon had never really been soft or gentle with her. Lisbon knew not all men were the same as her father –her other aunt, Rosalind and her husband Roy were a good example of a happily married couple. But the years of fear she had to go through…never again. Grace knew this, and it was perhaps a reason why she didn't try to stop her from talking; they had had this conversation this many times. The brunette glanced at her cousin. "I will end up old maid Grace. Something really bad would have to happen if I one day get married."

"Or you will have fallen in love" the redhead suggested, shifting position. "Teresa, promise me you won't lose hope into finding someone you will love and share your life with. Not every man is evil."

The brunette snorted.

"And you see goodness everywhere my dear Grace." Lisbon took her cousin's hand and squeezed it. "You will end up heartbroken if you don't stop believing every man is naturally good."

"Every being possess some kindness inside. Though I admit Mr Jane does not belong to that list. I mean, mocking everyone in the room and the way he spoke to you…"

The picture of the man appeared clearly in her mind. While his attractive face and blond curls fascinated at first sight, the illusion was completely destroyed as soon as he opened his mouth.

"Oh, dear Mr Jane" Teresa snorted. "Yeah, perhaps he should fall from his mightily pedestal and take a walk among people like us. I wouldn't have felt so…insulted if he had let me be. But he had to open his mouth and go on. Oh well, it is not like we are going to come across him soon. Apparently no-one is interesting in his eyes…"

She didn't pick up the faint smile on Grace's lips.

"And even though it kills me to admit he had brains and retorts, he is just an insufferable rude man" the dark-haired went on grumbling. "I can't guarantee his pretty face will save him each time. I hope I will never come across him ever again or I will not be held responsible for my actions."

The redhead merely nodded and hoisted herself on her elbow to blow off the candle. Lisbon continued to pester about the blond man a little while before saying 'good night' and closing her eyes. In Grace's mind though, it was obvious that despite being rude, Mr Jane had caught her cousin's attention.

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**Thank you for reading so far! And hopefully, next update won't take so long :P **


	4. Chapter 4

**First, sorry for the long wait. Once again, this chapter did not show itself cooperative -_- hopefully next one will be easier. **

**Thanks for everyone who reviewed :3 I don't know if I replied but if I didn't, promise I'll do better next time ^^".**

**Not much to say, so I'll let you read :) **

**Disclaimer: if I owned Mentalist or P&P, I wouldn't have to worry about my bank account and I'd be very, very old. Unfortunately and fortunately, I am neither :P Mistakes are mine, but hope you'll enjoy this (won't blame you if you don't :P)**

* * *

**Glare and Mockery**

**4**

A few days had passed since the ball, and life was slowly returning back to normal. Slowly, because Rebecca never got over the fact that the new neighbour had danced with her daughter most of the evening. Her eyes would twinkle with pride and she would hint strongly that Grace better be on her best behaviour if she wanted to keep the young man's attention. She was disappointed when Rigsby didn't show up to the next ball, but never lost hope that her daughter would come across him in the near future. The redhead didn't have to go through the effort of running after him though.

One week after the event, a letter arrived addressed to Grace from the Rigsby's residence.

Breakfast was being served as usual and Rebecca was informing her family about the latest gossip around town, insisting upon the fact officers had arrived earlier in the morning -much to the twins' delight- when the servant showed up with a folded letter. The sender's name was announced, and Grace opened it imperturbably while her mother kept staring at her in awe.

"Darling, I have no idea how you managed to..."

The older woman wasn't the only one flabbergasted. Minelli was glancing over his newspaper in wonder, the twins were fidgeting on their seat, dying to read the piece of paper, and Lisbon eyeing her suspiciously.

"The letter is from Sophie Rigsby" the redhead announced calmly. Rebecca's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "She's inviting me for lunch at her house. Her brother won't be there, he is meeting the officers" she added before folding the letter and digging back in her breakfast.

"Miss Rigsby must have noticed you are quite appealing to her brother" her mother said on a determined tone. "Of course she will invite you sometime while he isn't around. But don't worry my child. I have the perfect plan."

Lisbon resisted to the urge to roll her eyes and given the sigh of her cousin, so did Grace. The redhead turned towards Minelli and asked:

"Grandfather, may I use the carriage?"

"Of course not!" Rebecca interfered immediately. "Horses are needed in the field. Aren't they, father?"

The old man immediately felt the shift of mood. His daughter had switched into her groom-hunter mode and if he wanted his peace intact, definitely had to agree.

"Well…" he started with hesitation, glancing turn to turn at Grace and Rebecca. The latter almost slammed her hand on the table to get everyone's attention.

"Of course they are! My dear, you will go by horseback. Then, they _will_ have to keep you for the night."

Given her intonation, the matter was closed. Lisbon wanted to protest, say that if her cousin left now she would probably be back before dark, but the determined look in her aunt's eyes told her that she would be wasting her time. Once Rebecca had an idea in mind, it was hard to get it out of her head. Even Grace shook head in resignation.

Later, Lisbon sneaked into the stables, a question burning in her mind. The unsurprised reaction of her cousin was hiding something and she was determined to find out what. The young woman spotted the redhead preparing her favourite horse, a tall greyish mare with a thick white mane. After making sure they were alone, she asked:

"How did you manage to get invited to the Rigsbys'?"

Grace didn't stop her activity when she replied.

"Actually, I met with Sophie in town yesterday at the tea shop. We shared opinions upon a few subjects, and she assured that we must continue our discussion. Hence the invitation -or so I assume."

"So this has noting to do with Mr Rigsby" the dark-haired mumbled quietly before a smirk came to illuminate her face. "My poor aunt will be so disappointed when she hears this."

"Teresa" Grace spoke very calmly with a warning flashing in her eyes. "You will _not_ spill a word."

"Do not worry, she already has your back covered" Lisbon added on a teasing tone. "Play the right cards tonight."

Van Pelt rolled her eyes and jumped on the saddle of her horse. A light kick in its sides and they were off. For a little while, the young woman followed her cousin's silhouette fading in the horizon. Grace had always been an alluring, excellent horse-rider and had her place among the best in town. Too bad she didn't like to expose her large range of qualities.

Once the woman had disappeared, Lisbon retreated to the main house. The sky, previously clear, had darkened considerably and within the next minutes, the first drops started to fall. By the time she arrived at the entrance, it was pouring. No doubt that, in spite of Grace's mare's speed, her cousin will arrived drenched and cold at Rigsby's manor. The young woman grabbed a towel and started drying her hair. In the kitchen, her aunt was staring out of the window with a satisfied smirk.

"Good. Now they will have to keep her at night." Rebecca declared cheerfully. Minelli stepped out of the next room and glanced at his daughter with a mixture of perplexity and surprise.

"I shall wonder if your matchmaking talents aren't close to witchcraft" he muttered. "But your plans will fail if they offer to send her back in a carriage."

"Grace would never leave her horse there." the dark-haired woman affirmed. "And she'd hate to make it pull a carriage on the way back. No, no believe me, she will stay there."

True to Rebecca's prediction, the redhead didn't return that night and in the morning, a messenger arrived, carrying a note from the Rigsby mansion. Lisbon did not need to read its content to know what this was about. The message was short. Grace was feeling sick, consequence of the rain the previous day, and the master of the house had refused she left his house before feeling better. Rebecca was delighted.

"This is ridiculous" Lisbon grumbled. "Because of your schemes, Grace is ill!"

"Nobody dies from a cold, dearest." Replied the older woman, too busy knitting to look straight at her niece. "The more she stays there, the closer she gets to Mr Rigsby. This is a perfect outcome."

Minelli stepped in the doorway and grumbled:

"If she dies, be assured it will be while chasing after Mr Rigsby."

"Grace is not on the verge of death" Rebecca snapped, glaring at her father.

"Perhaps not, but she could die of shame for having such an irresponsible mother" Lisbon shot back before she could stop herself. Rebecca glanced up from her work, mouth wide open in shock. Next to her, Emma and Maya giggled, amused that their aunt had been, once again, shut up by their sister. "I will be leaving now. I can't leave her alone there."

"Grace will be fine" Rebecca replied, but the assurance in her voice had slightly disappeared. Lisbon knew if anything happened to her daughter, she would be devastated; but right now, compassion towards her aunt was the last thing on her mind.

"Is that a hint I should prepare a carriage?" Minelli asked. The young woman shook her head.

"No, I'll walk. The Rigsby mansion is just three miles away, and the exercise will clear my mind. I should be back around dinner."

She didn't wait for anyone to stop her. Instead, she hurried to pick up her coat and hit the road.

**-GM-**

The walk didn't last as long as Lisbon had anticipated. The sun was still rising when she arrived and the young woman hoped the inhabitants were awake. Thankfully, the butler who welcomed her assured they were all. She was guided to the breakfast-parlour, where the Rigsbys were currently gathered. The valet announced her arrival in a very formal way, and she passed the door. The room was large and picturesque. A painter would have loved the place for a salon-like picture, for the clear walls and straight lines traced a lovely background. As she expected, Mr Rigsby, his sister Sophie and -she winced- Jane were sitting at the table. Both men stood up immediately and bowed in greeting. The blond woman was the first to speak though.

"Dear Lord" she exclaimed, taking Lisbon's appearance. "Have you walked up here?"

"Yes ma'am" the dark-haired replied, trying not to sound too annoyed at her obvious disgust. "I came to see my cousin."

"She's upstairs, in her room" Jane cut a little too sharply, before his friend could open his mouth. "But do not worry, Mr Rigsby made sure she was well-surrounded."

A faint blush crept on Rigbsy's face. There was a hint of sarcasm in the blond's intonation, but Lisbon merely bowed in thanks and let herself be guided by the butler. Once she had left the room, Sophie snorted:

"These countryside people! Her dress and boots were covered with mud. What is she thinking, coming on her own so early in the morning?"

"I think this is rather a proof of devotion to her cousin" Rigsby replied while sitting down. "In my mind, her behaviour is perfectly honourable."

"You would never let your sister act the same way, wouldn't you Mr Jane?"

The blond man frowned.

"You know my sister well enough, Miss Sophie. I have little authority over her. Although I would resent seeing her in such a state; especially in front of guests." he added, and the blond woman's eyes sparkled with triumph.

"Exactly! I doubt she will ever find a husband with such a savage behaviour. Perhaps if she was prettier, like her cousin..."

"The exercise had brightened her eyes though" Jane continued absent-mindedly. Sophie stared at him in shock. "Lovely" he added before sitting down in turn and continuing his breakfast.

**-GM-**

When Lisbon eventually saw her cousin, she sighed in relief. Grace's skin was paler than usual, and the circles underneath her eyes betrayed her tiredness, but at least she was in better shape than she expected. The young woman closed the door carefully and stepped closer to the bed. The redhead was currently deep asleep, breathing slowly and peacefully. Lisbon smiled.

Her precausions didn't seem to be enough though. Grace moaned softly before blinking and frowning. As she slowly returned to the land of conciousness, she realised she wasn't alone in the room anymore, and glanced up at the intruder. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her cousin, but it was quickly replaced by a warm smile.

"Teresa? What are you doing here?"

The dark-haired grinned and sat on the border of the bed, careful not to disturb her.

"You should have known that the moment I had your letter I would be running to see you."

Grace opened her mouth to reply something when a new visitor pushed the door and entered the room. Rigsby's tall frame invaded the space with a uneasy smile. Lisbon figured he must have escaped his friend and sister's claws to join them.

"I am sorry for interrupting" he babbled uncomfortably. "I heard Miss Van Pelt talking and I wanted to...make sure you are comfortably settled" He cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed, and stared at his feet. "You are welcome to stay with your cousin as long as you please Miss Lisbon."

The dark-haired smiled, genuinely touched by his concern and invitation.

"I am truly grateful you allow her to stay. She is better here than at home."

Rigsby's eyes lightened and a wide grin spread over his face.

"No, no" he replied enthusiastically. "The pleasure is all mine! I would rather have her sick here...I mean, if she is better sick here than...well..." he left his sentence hang and smiled awkwardly. Lisbon bit back a grin, knowing for sure the young man was completely smitten with her cousin.

"I will send a letter to my aunt and ask for some change of clothes. Thank you so much for your hospitality."

"Of course" the tall man replied. "I will call for a messenger right away." He turned heels and headed to the door. Before leaving the room though, he threw a last glance at his guests and opened his mouth as if wanting to add something, but in the end, just walked out and shut the door carefully behind.

Once he was out, Lisbon turned back to her cousin and grinned.

"He really has feelings for you Grace."

"Mr Rigsby is just a very thoughtful host" the redhead protested, but her cheeks took a deeper shade of red that had nothing to do with her fever.

"Of course" Lisbon said good-naturally, but her eyes were twinkling with amusement. "I shall leave you rest now" she added softly. "Be assured I will come back."

Grace smiled at her words; took her cousin's hand in hers and squeezed it.

"Thank you for coming Teresa."

The dark-haired leaned to kiss the woman's forehead. Then, she stood up and walked out of the room.

**-GM-**

As she passed through the corridors, Lisbon promised herself to never underestimate the size of a manor like Rigsby's. She had been pacing around for the last five minutes, and had come across no-one yet. Where were all the butlers at this time? And where had disappeared Mr Rigsby? She needed him to tell her where to find...

"May I inquire about your cousin's health?"

The unexpected voice made her jump in surprise. Lisbon turned immediately and realised Jane was standing right besides her. The young woman shut her eyes a few seconds, allowing her heartbeat to find a normal rhythm again.

"She looks better than I expected" she replied after a while.

"Good. You will find paper and ink in the library" the blond man added. "I believe Rigsby leaves his writing accessories there."

Lisbon threw him a surprised look, to which he replied with a smug smirk. His eyes caught hers and she found herself unable to look away. Their deep blue mesmerized her; plus, they seemed to hold a hint of gentleness she had not perceived during the ball. The young woman vaguely wondered whether he realised she could see it or if it was intentional and, caught by a desire to study them more, stepped closer. The blue darkened slightly when she approached; Lisbon held her breath. The subtle change made her shiver and fascinated her at the same time. Beautiful...

"Oh, here you are Mr Jane!"

Sophie's unexpected apparition broke Lisbon's contemplation and she suddenly realised how improper her behaviour was. She apologised and, after asking the blonde woman where she could find the library, hurried out of the corridor, and out of _his_ sight. Jane, she reminded herself, was a handsome man. He was most likely used to the admiration and attention women give him. Thankfully she hadn't made too much of a fool of herself. If he had the faintest idea of what had crossed her mind during their staring contest, she would never survive the mortification.

What puzzled her though, was the slight confused glint when he realised a newcomer had arrived. Like he hadn't realised he was staring back until the moment was broken. And the feelings written over his face when he...the young woman pushed away those thoughts and focused on finding the library. She just hoped Mr Jane would not remain more than a few days, or this was going to be a very long stay.

* * *

**When I was studying P&P's 2005 version (some cinema class) in college, our teacher made a comment about the contrast between messy-haired Elizabeth, and very straight-arrowed Darcy-Bingley sitting and eating breakfast. I think of him each time I watch that scene :) **

**Question; would you like Wickham to be Mashburn or Red John or both (like the Wickham brothers :P)? I haven't decided yet and am having a really hard time making up my mind.**

**Thank you for reading so far :D ! **


	5. Chapter 5

**I think this is the quickest update I've made of this fic lately ^^" A bit of Jisbon interaction coming up... For the moment Mashburn is on top list, so I guess he'll be the new Mr Wickham ^^**

**Thanks ****to ****BonneyQ; ****The-Sun-Princess;**** Cheshire**** (**yeah, sorry bout that ^^" I thought I'd take a bit of every version I've seen-read to make this fic –and add a bit of my own, so don't be surprised if explicit references keep popping up here and there. I'll try to keep then IC as much as possible though. Hope you'll like the next ones :3**); ****Brown****Eyes****Parker; ****evonna; ****Amri****(**thank you :3 glad you like it xD**);**** Viviskilener-jisbonist4ever;**** Irises4ever;**** Agent****ERA**** for ****their**** reviews!**** Thanks**** for ****the ****alerts ****and ****favourite**** too ****:3**

**Disclaimer: if I owned Mentalist or P&P, I wouldn't have to worry about my bank account and I'd be very, very old. Unfortunately and fortunately, I am neither :P Mistakes are mine, but hope you'll enjoy this (won't blame you if you don't ;3)**

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**Glare and Mockery **

**5.**

The letter was soon written and sent. Lisbon returned to her cousin's room, but since Grace had fallen asleep while she was gone, she decided to join the rest of the household in the garden. Everyone was gathered around a cup of tea and chatting. At her arrival, she immediately became the centre of attention and the two men stood up to greet her once again.

"How is Miss Van Pelt?" Sophie asked with genuine concern in her eyes.

"Currently sleeping, but I'm afraid she won't feel better upon her awakening" Lisbon replied as she took her seat.

"Please have some tea" Rigsby offered, sitting down in turn. "This was made by Jane's butler."

"The best in the world" the blond man confirmed, raising his cup before taking a new sip. Sophie sighed and put hers back on the table.

"I feel so sorry for your cousin" she started. "Miss Van Pelt is such a charming person. It pains me to see what she is going through. I detest being sick."

Lisbon nodded absent-mindedly. Grace was rarely ill and she hated to see her in such a poor state. The dark-haired picked up the cup after a housemaid served her, and took a sip. The liquid warmed her inside and she bit back a sigh of content. Jane was right; while she was not fond of the drink, this tea tasted good.

"Mr Jane, has your sister grown since the last time I saw her?" Sophie suddenly asked, bored with the lack of conversation going on.

Lisbon blinked at the question and glanced at the man with a hint of curiosity. She hadn't thought of him having a family since he had showed up alone. Jane shrugged.

"She will soon reach your height I suppose. All women in my family are rather tall, so I would not be surprised if she ends up taller than me."

"I cannot wait to see her again" the blonde woman continued. "She is such an interesting and passionate young woman."

"I have no doubt about the latter" Jane muttered, returning his attention on his cup. Lisbon's interest increased at his words and she glanced at the blond man from the corner of the eye, hoping Sophie would speak again and make him say more. The dark-haired was not a nosy person, but she was curious about Jane. She couldn't help it; he intrigued her.

Thankfully, Sophie decided she had not praised enough.

"I still remember the day she decided to accompany us all to a hunting party. She has remarkable horse-riding skills."

Rigsby snorted, as if remembering something funny, while Jane frowned deeply at the blonde.

"Indeed." Lisbon noted the displeasure in his tone. "But I still wish she would concentrate on more...womanly art."

"Patrick, don't be so patronizing" the tall man protested. "She just has a lot of energy to spare and her creativity is impressive."

Jane raised a brow at him.

"Are you saying this because you helped Brooke set up this childish joke? My butler was not pleased afterwards."

"I do admit the use of flour and water was not..." he stopped talking when he realised his friend was now glaring hard, and cleared his throat uneasily. "Anyway, I am still convinced she will turn into a perfectly educated young woman."

"_Behaving_ young woman" Jane shot back. "As far as I know, my sister is _finely_ educated."

"Of course she is" Rigsby babbled, now very uncomfortable under the accusing eyes of his friend. The dark-haired woman wondered why he was so worked-up all of a sudden. "It's not what I meant, you know that." Jane shook his head and took another sip of tea. The tension was starting to thicken, and after a while, the tall man added: "I just meant that her interest in drawing, music and dance will certainly come later on, when she realise people are more interested in these than her usual activities."

Lisbon frowned at that comment. Did he really think people's interests were limited to those domains? She dropped in:

"I don't think a woman absolutely has to develop her, what you just called, 'womanly' skills. I believe they have every right not to learn such futile things if they have no desire to."

"Perhaps your education had given you that impression Miss Lisbon" Jane replied calmly, raising his eyes to meet her gaze. "But I am afraid very little people share your point of view. You will see very little women shine by anything else than their skills in those arts and culture. Do you not possess them, society might devalue your worth."

The young woman didn't know if she had to flush at the intense expression he threw her, or feel insulted by the way he was trying to get the upper hand.

"So if I take your words" she replied, feeling a bulge of anger raising in her throat, "if a woman has no so-called _womanly_ _talent,_ she will be seen as a failure."

Jane frowned, as if thinking.

"Uh...I believe this is basically what I said." he replied with a hint of sarcasm.

The little look in his eyes made her want to punch him. Despite making a good job not showing it, the young woman felt he was amused by her reaction and, she supposed, intending to push her buttons. He didn't seem to believe his own words, but for his entertainment, he would play the typical old-fashioned point of view. The sole presence of Rigsby dissuaded her from standing up and punching the man. How dare he play her like this?

"What characteristics a perfect woman needs then, to sound successful in your eyes?" she asked, knowing fully he was expecting the question.

Jane leant back on his seat and faked pondering over an answer.

"She must have great knowledge of music, dancing and drawing and be able to speak various languages."

"Plus" Sophie added quickly, eager to please the object of her attentions and not getting he was merely pretending. "She must have something in the way she stands, a little something that makes her special."

"And an open-mind view of the world, cultivated by reading of decent books." Jane added with too much seriousness. "If she cannot possess all this, than she does not deserve a name in the world. I barely know half a dozen who would be considered accomplished."

"In this case, I am surprised you know so many" Lisbon retorted, now glaring at him and not caring for one bit if her behaviour appeared indecent to her hosts. This was a game between Jane and her and she would not let him belittle her. "I am not even sure such a woman exists."

Sophie started protesting, affirming she had many friends who would fit this category and Lisbon noted that the blond woman was hoping Jane would name her among the list. Rigsby, on his side, carefully stayed out of the way. The tall man seemed divided between laughing or hiding under the table. As funny as he must found the exchange, he knew it upset his guest and besides, she suspected he didn't know how to impose himself in a conversation, especially when Jane was involved. The man seemed to have quite an influence over his friend.

"Have you so little consideration for your own sex?" Jane asked, raising a brow in slight surprise.

Lisbon raised her chin defiantly.

"Such woman does not exist" she repeated on a stronger tone. "Such perfection would scare and bore these men."

Rigsby snorted in amusement. The blond man opened his mouth to reply, but a newcomer interrupted him. An Asian man dressed in an impeccable suit approached him quietly and stood besides him.

"My, Cho" Jane exclaimed with a hint of surprise. "What dreadful news are you bringing us so late in the morning?"

"Actually sir" the butler replied with a perfect impassible expression; "You have just received a note."

Jane glanced quickly at the envelope the man was holding and said:

"Thank you Cho, I will read it later. Leave it in my room."

The Asian man bowed slightly before retreating and the blond man seemed lost in thoughts for a moment. Lisbon decided the time was well-chosen to retreat and after thanking them for the tea, rushed to her cousin's side.

**-GM-**

Soon after Lisbon departure, Sophie declared she would leave these men for a more entertaining occupation. Jane suspected she wanted to practice whatever skills he had mentioned earlier, taking his words too seriously. Which would be useless. Despite what he had said to the fierce petite dark-haired, he couldn't care less about a woman's skills in art. He would trade that kind of dull and submissive behaviour for an independent and free-minded woman anytime. The most amusing part was that he suspected the young woman to be aware of his...motives. He chuckled inwardly; she must be planning his downfall right now. No worries though; he would gladly bicker with her anythime.

"Why did you kept on teasing her like this?" Rigsby growled, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Miss Lisbon did not deserve it!"

"She amuses me" the blond man replied calmly. "And she has good comebacks. I think she is one of the most interesting persons I have came across lately."

"Patrick" the tall man warned. "I do not wish to get angry with her. I am their _neighbour!_ I have her cousin in my care!"

"Only because somehow she arrived drenched at your house and you offered her to stay overnight."

Rigsby looked scandalised.

"Miss Van Pelt is not fainting her sickness, if this is what you are understating."

"Oh I do not doubt it. I am rather trying to point out the fact this handsome redhead has conveniently fallen sick under _your_ roof." Jane raised his eyes and observed his friend carefully. He did not know what to think of the indignation in the tall man's eyes. "I am just saying this out of concern." he added softly. "Your caring nature has pushed you to help out women in difficult position before, and many of them had taken advantage of you."

Jane had a point, Rigsby admitted. His parents has raised him to be a perfect gentleman, and his protective instinct would show up when any woman was in danger. And his generosity had led him to be conned more than once.

"I'll keep it in mind" the tall man mumbled reluctantly.

For some reason though, but he felt the redhead lying in one of his guests room upstairs was different. Van Pelt was one of the most beautiful, gentle and caring creature he had ever met. Plus, after observing Lisbon's behaviour towards her, he deduced she could not be a bad person. To get someone cross the countryside alone and early in the morning, the young woman must be worth it. And if she indeed was as honourable as he thought she was...then he would not let her go.

**-GM-**

Grace was awake when Lisbon entered the room, but the dark-haired did not like what she saw. Her cousin's face had reddened, her breathing had turned irregular and her skin was moist with sweat. When she spotted the newcomer, the redhead smiled.

"Here you are again. I was wondering where you have disappeared."

Even her voice sounded weak. Lisbon came closer and brushed her forehead. Her eyes widened in shock.

"My goodness, Grace you are burning! I will urge Mr Rigsby to call a doctor!"

She was about to turn and run out the door when a weak hand held her back.

"Please stay Teresa" the plea in her voice was obvious, and Lisbon knew she could not deny her request. She sat on the border of the bed and took a wet towel resting there to wipe her forehead. Grace closed her eyes and sighed in content. The young woman told herself she would wait until her cousin fell back asleep to warn the master of the house. In the meantime, she would try to keep the fever at bait...

"Tell me, Teresa. Why are you so worked up?"

Van Pelt's suddenly speaking caught her by surprise.

"Me? Worked up? I am worried Grace, not..."

"When you came into the room earlier, you were upset." the redhead opened her eyes and stared at her pointedly. "I know you better than anyone Teresa. Please, tell me what is on your mind. Did Mr Jane unnerve you again?"

Lisbon couldn't help a soft smile; only Grace would notice these little details about her.

"Yes he did" she finally admitted. The victorious smirk on her cousin's face told her the redhead wanted to know more. "We had an argument about the perfect woman..."

The dark-haired stayed the rest of the day in the redhead's room. The following ones, she did not leave Grace's side, only to eat and change clothes. In the meantime, various opinions started to form about her. Rigsby thought her devotion to her cousin was admirable. Sophie disliked her lack of presence around them and claimed behind her back that she was taking advantage of her brother's good heart. Jane would just mind his own business, although he thought he missed her a little.

It wasn't until the next few days that Grace's state started improving. Her fever had eventually come down, but her physical condition still wasn't at best. During her stay, Lisbon received a few letters from Rebecca, asking about the situation. While she still felt angry towards her aunt to putting her daughter in such a condition, the dark-haired still send back quick notes, urging her to visit to get her own point of view.

And while she knew she should have expect it, Lisbon was still startled when a servant came to request her presence downstairs, claiming her family had stopped by.

Indeed, she realized the familiar carriage was standing in the middle of the front yard, and...to her utter horror, she saw not only Rebecca, but also the twins and Julie following her. She didn't mind seeing her sisters after such a long time, but she dreaded their reaction in such a rich environment. Maya and Emma had yet learned to keep quiet at the right times, and she feared their silliness would show up stronger than ever and offense the Rigsbys and Jane. She cared little of Sophie's opinion, but did not want her brother to think little of the rest of her family, nor give his friend more material against her. She had a feeling if Jane...tested her family the way he had tested her, her aunt and sisters were bound to go through a very humiliating conversation.

She joined the three main inhabitants of the house on top of the stairs, waiting for their guests to join them. Rigsby's nervousness was, once again, quite showing, while his sister showed a cold facade. Jane however...much to her surprise, his eyes had softened and a slight smile was lingering on his face. Then, she realised his attention was fixed on a particular person. Julie. The young girl tilted her head and observed the blond man with a hint of curiosity in return. His interest in her was so obvious it escaped no-one. Lisbon thought she spotted a hint of sadness over Rigsby's face, but it was soon replaced by concern towards his duty as a host.

"Welcome Mrs Van Pelt" he greeted cordially. "Please follow me to the living-room."

During her aunt's visit, Lisbon noted that Jane's eyes barely left her youngest sister. She didn't know what to do with that new piece of information, but kept it safe in her mind. Given the way he looked at her, there was no malice, just tenderness. She still felt uneasy with his attention. Julie definitively noted that she was someone's interest, and the quick, playful glances they exchanged during the whole conversation annoyed the dark-haired.

"Teresa? You are very quiet my dear. Is anything bothering you?" Rebecca's voice brought her back to the present and she reluctantly focused back on the discussion.

"Nothing, my aunt" she replied with a forced smile. "I was just worrying about Grace."

The excuse was accepted and Rebecca took advantage of her sentence to spill her gratefulness towards Rigsby. Lisbon risked another eye on Jane, who was still exchanging funny faces with her little sister. The way he kept her entertained made her want to smile and wince at the same time. It wasn't until the rest started speaking of a certain upcoming ball that her attention got caught again -as well as Jane's. The twins were excitingly glancing at the master of the house, while the tall man blinked in confusion.

"In my house?"

Maya nodded eagerly and Lisbon cursed herself for missing the last few minutes. Given Sophie's expression, her sisters must have opened their big mouth...again. Rebecca's face brightened.

"Exactly! You haven't been much out lately, and the neighborhood knows very little about you sir. A ball will help you make new friends."

Rigsby appeared puzzled by their enthusiasm, but replied good-naturally:

"When your cousin will feel better, you shall chose the date."

Much to Lisbon's embarrassment, the twins squealed in delight. Thankfully though, they did not make a show of their ignorance any longer, and Jane's focused returned to Julie.

**-GM-**

Lisbon stood next to the blond man as they departed, waving good-bye and thanking Rigsby endlessly. She was tempted to ask him about his fascination with her sister, but decided against it as he whispered before she could open her mouth:

"Miss Julie is such a lovely child. I am persuaded she will blossom into a wonderful person."

The dark-haired observed his expression carefully. There were traces of nostalgia and sadness in these blue eyes.

"Do you have children, Mr Jane?" she eventually asked. The gentleness disappeared and was replaced by the usual mask. The young woman wondered if she had hit a sore spot.

"No, I don't." he replied calmly before gratifying her a fake smile. "Shall we head back to the mansion?"

Knowing further enquiry would be perceived as ill-curiosity, Lisbon dropped the matter and followed the blond man inside. She could always speculate on that matter later.

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**End of the chapter. Next one is started, dunno when it will be done though...reviews are always appreciated *and encouraging* ;)**

**Thank you for reading so far!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Honestly, I thought I'd update earlier than that ^^". but anyway here is the next chapter :P  
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**Thanks**** to ****Brown****Eyes****Parker; ****Amri91; ****Viviskilener-jisbonist4ever****; ****xanderseye****; Kuhlama; Castle38 ****13****Jo (x2); ****Camille**** (**Aww merci o^^o. P&P est l'un de mes livres préférés et le parallèle avec les personnages était trop flagtant pout le laisser passer *-*. Oui on apprendra plus sur le passé de Lisbon, peut-être un apparition du père -à voir dans un prochain chapitre. L'histoire en générale suivra le fil du livre, mais puique j'utilise les peronnages de Mentalist, il y aura des petits chagements ^^". En attendant, j'espère que tu aimeras ce chapitre et merci pour le review :D) **for their reviews! (also for some reason I fell I have replied twice to some reviews or not replied at all...if it's the case, I apologize ^^")  
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**Disclaimer: if I owned Mentalist or P&P, I wouldn't have to worry about my bank account and I'd be very, very old. Unfortunately and fortunately, I am neither :P Mistakes are mine, but hope you'll enjoy this (won't blame you if you don't ;3)**

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**Glare and Mockery **

**6**

Lisbon opened her eyes. And frowned. The shadows of the room looked unfamiliar and the bed missed the usual warmth generated by her cousin. One blink later, she remembered she was in Rigsby's mansion, in the bedroom he had provided her about a week ago. At first, she had wanted to stay near Grace. Her cousin had never been this sick and leaving her side was painful; moreover, the two young women were used to share a bed. But Rigsby would hear none of it and demanded she occupied the bedroom adjacent to Grace's.

The young woman rubbed her eyes and glanced around. Given the non-existent light through the curtains, the sun had yet to rise. Odd, she thought, why would she wake up so early? She usually slept well through the night.

_Thump, thump, thump._

Lisbon sat up straight and looked around. What was…

_Thump, thump, thump._

She closed her eyes and listened more carefully. Muffed footsteps echoed in the corridor, quickly passing by her door and disappearing. The young woman bit her lower lip in wonder; who was out there? was it a resident or an undesirable visitor? Had somebody sneaked within the walls of the house, or was Mr Rigsby, Mr Jane or Miss Sophie or someone among the servants taking a late tour?

Curiosity got the best of her. She stepped out of bed, picked up her dressing gown, put some slippers on and silently walked towards the door. Nothing could be heard on the other side. Lisbon sneaked in the corridor and glanced around. Listened carefully. The footsteps were fading on her left. Taking a deep breath, she followed quietly, praying the intruder was indeed from the household.

The corridors were pitch dark and she had to brush the wall to make sure she wouldn't run into something on the way. In spite of the situation, the young woman chuckled; in her younger years, she used to sneak out in the middle of the night for an excursion through her father's manor. Those expeditions had lead to many discoveries for a seven years old girl and were her fondest memories as a child…

The sound of footsteps suddenly got more distinct. As she approached a new intersection, Lisbon peeked carefully from the corner. She spotted a straight silhouette walking ahead, barely lightened by a faint candlelight. The person didn't appear particularly nervous or trying to hide his or her presence; just trying not to wake up the other inhabitants. Narrowing her eyes, the young woman noted the masculine silhouette, still dressed up in daily clothes, fair or blonde hair...

Unexpectedly, the man stopped and turned around. Lisbon hurried back towards a previous intersection and hid behind the wall. She breathed slowly in and out, trying to control the rhythm of her heartbeat.

"Who is there?"

Her pulse accelerated as she quickly retreated; she had recognized Jane's voice and knew that if he discovered her there, following him, he might get the wrong idea. Of course, her inquisitions had been triggered by mere curiosity; but she suspected he would not understand her nosiness.

The young woman clumsily accelerated pace, guiding herself by brushing the wall again. Arriving at another intersection, she cursed inwardly. How could she have forgotten Rigsby's manor was such a maze? Her steps had not leaded her to more than two crossroads and this was the third. Had she taken a wrong turn in her haste? A hand suddenly caught her wrist and twisted her backwards. Before she could utter a word, Lisbon found herself pinned back against the closest wall.

_An angry face stood inches of hers, so close she could almost count the gray hairs in the black mustache. His skin was sweaty and his breath smelt like alcohol. His hand was gripping her forearm so tight it brought tears to her eyes._

"_Useless little scum" he hissed. "You can't even play a tune properly!" _

"Miss Lisbon?"

The young woman blinked. The angry face faded and was replaced by Jane's half-lightened one. Surprise and worry mixed in his eyes as he scanned her carefully.

"Are you all right?"

It took Lisbon a few seconds to realize she was shaking. She looked away and hugged herself. A chill ran through her spine. When has the air turned so cold? Getting out of her room had been a very bad idea. The faint flame lightening the corridor reminded her she was not alone, and that the man was still waiting for an answer.

"Yes, sir" she eventually whispered.

Her breathing had returned to normal and she felt calmer. The young woman took advantage of her momentary recovery to register new information; Jane was still fully dressed, shirt and vest on –although a little crumpled. The circles under his eyes suggested he had been sleeping until shortly and the book stuck under his arm he had been reading. Perhaps he had dozen off in the library; she vaguely remembered him heading there after diner.

"May I inquire the reason of your presence, so late in the corridors?"

Lisbon managed to raise her face defiantly and stared at him:

"I heard noises." she declared, her voice stronger than before. "I wanted to figure out where they came from."

Much to her surprise, Jane simply nodded and asked:

"And I suppose those noises happened to be me walking in the corridors."

There was a hint of accusation in his tone. Lisbon frowned at him, feeling the usual rise of annoyance when he was challenging her. Even though the man had the right to suspect her reasons to be out at this time of the night, especially alone, she would not let him make assumptions. Who knew what thoughts were crossing that man's head?

"As a matter of fact it did" she replied firmly. "I heard someone walking in the corridor and wanted to verify this person's identity. I apologize if I happened to startle you."

He replied nothing and kept observing her in silence. After a few moments of intense staring during which she held his gaze, Jane smiled:

"All right" he said cheerfully. "Shall I accompany you back to your room since you have not taken a light?"

Lisbon nodded and both moved, ignoring the awkward atmosphere that had just settled. None of them talked the few minutes it took to return to the right room. When she recognized the corridor, the young woman assured Jane she could manage on her own from there. The man insisted to walk her till the end and once at the door...

"Now, shall I have my reward?"

Lisbon's hand stopped over the handle and she stared at him in disbelief.

"Your reward?"

"I guided you back in the middle of the night. I dare think I have deserved a kiss for the trouble."

"A kiss?" she repeated in disbelief. Was the man serious?

The flame of his candle accentuated the lines of his smiling eyes and the large grin spreading over his face.

"Quite a small price for the service I offered" Jane affirmed.

Lisbon snorted.

"Have you not been wandering in the corridors, I would have never followed you."

The man's smile grew wider and he took a step closer.

"But have you not been curious, I would not have to rescue you" he whispered so gently she barely heard him. "Therefore, I shall claim my reward."

Before Lisbon could reply or move, he gently held her chin between his index and thumb, lowered his head and brushed the corner of her mouth.

The young woman felt her cheeks burning and at the same time, an urgent need to shove him away. Her hands tightened into fists to avoid their shaking. Various feelings crossed her mind, sensations ran through her body. A gentle shiver. Warmth. And...fear. Lisbon pulled back like a scared animal, hurried inside and locked the door behind. Her heartbeat was racing, her temples beating in her ears and her hands were slightly trembling when she leaned back against the door.

No man had ever...touched her that way. While women touching didn't bother her, Lisbon had always been very aware of men. Her father...

She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Most of her life, her father was the only man she had any real close interaction with. And while he claimed he loved them; it didn't stop him from hurting them. Julie was just a baby and the twins too young to remember, but she would never forget. Peter Lisbon was the reason she knew she would remain unmarried.

Footsteps faded in the distance. Jane was leaving. The young woman raised her fingers over the spot his lips had touched her skin. It was warm and ticklish. She shook her head and walked to the bed. Hopefully, sleep would come quick and the next morning, she could pretend the last events were just a dream.

**-G&M-**

Unfortunately, Lisbon did not forget a single thing. If not, after all the memory felt more vivid and embarrassing. The man had dallied around her and not only she had proved herself unable to handle the situation, but she had also fled without a word to thank him for walking her back. As she headed downstairs to take her breakfast, she wondered how she would be able to face him without blushing. But Mr Jane was mercifully absent that morning, and the young woman spent the rest of the morning keeping company to her cousin.

In the early afternoon though, her luck ceased. Since Grace had fallen back asleep, Lisbon decided to head to the library to pick up a book but alas, the place was already occupied. Jane was sitting in front of a desk on the corner, writing a letter. Sophie was sitting next to him and desperately trying to get his attention by praising the neatness of his handwriting. Rigsby was sitting in a couch nearby, eyeing the pages of a book boringly. The moment she crossed the threshold, the master of the house asked with a hint of desperation:

"Would you indulge a game of cards, Miss Lisbon?"

The young woman bit back a laugh; obviously, the man had been extremely bored the last moments.

"Thank you for the invitation Mr Rigsby, but I must decline" she replied, trying hard not to smirk at his disappointment.

"Wayne is fidgeting on his seat" Jane started without detaching his eyes from his activity "Because I promised I would accompany him for a ride later this afternoon. But do not worry, you won't have enough time to finish your game; I shall soon be done with my letter and ready to go."

The blonde's voice made her tense but thankfully no-one noticed. There was nothing in his tune that indicated he was particularly annoyed or angry, but Lisbon couldn't gather enough courage to glance in his direction. She picked up a book that title sounded interesting, sat in a couch and started to read. The room was quiet enough, but extremely tense. Between Rigsby fidgeting on his seat, the sharp scratching of Jane's pen on the paper and Sophie's occasional praises, Lisbon felt like running out of the place.

"You have such an elegant handwriting Mr Jane. And you write so fast..."

"I must confess you are wrong, Miss Sophie" the blond replied imperturbably. "My 'writing' is rather slow."

"I wish my brother handled such elegance in his letters" Sophie added bitterly, narrowing her eyes at the tall man. "I always have a hard time understanding him." Her tone suddenly softened when she addressed back to Jane: "This is absolutely not your case Mr Jane. Could you tell your sister how much I miss her?"

Lisbon was not sitting close, but she still felt the annoyance irradiating from the man. She vaguely wondered why Jane bothered to bear her behavior, especially since she obviously irritated him. Perhaps he kept his mouth shut in regards towards her brother?

"I already did earlier" he replied calmly, and the dark-haired admired his calmness. "And yes, I mentioned how impressed you were with her progresses in horse-riding and thanked her for the teashop she advised you to try in Sacramento. I will also add you are eager to meet her again after I mend this pen."

Sophie started to reach for the said object.

"Please let me..."

Jane turned slightly away from her.

"I would rather do it myself in case I accidentally break it for good" he said very cordially. "I will be the only one to blame then."

The blonde woman made a small unladylike sound before a comprehensive smile returned on her face. To Lisbon, the show was now extremely distracting, especially watching Jane's face. His expression would not change much, but sometimes slip long enough to reveal his true feelings. Sophie, oblivious to his annoyance, continued her praise when he concentrated on his paper once again.

"I am sure Brooke will be delighted to read from you. Your letters are always long and captivating."

This time, Jane did not bother answering and sensing she had lost his interest for good, the blond woman stood up and headed towards Lisbon.

"You have been sitting a long time" she started on a sugary tone. "Would you like to join me for a walk?"

The younger woman smiled and denied her request very politely. She had no intention of entering Sophie's little plan to parade in front of Jane, even if her legs were indeed starting to fall asleep. The older woman sent her a glare before sitting in another couch and started reading in turn. From the corner of the eyes, the brunette saw the object of her attention smirk in amusement. She knew then that Sophie had no chances of winning the man's heart. His only pleasure seemed to be mocking people and she doubted anyone would manage to handle it through a lifetime, even if he was making efforts to .

"Miss Lisbon?" Rigsby suddenly spoke up, making the young woman jump in surprise -she had almost forgotten his presence. "Is Miss Van Pelt recovering?"

She smiled, please that he looked concerned for her cousin.

"Her state has improved; I dare say we will be able to leave before the end of the week."

Rigsby's face fell in disappointment, Sophie had a hard time hiding her happiness -Lisbon suspected her dislike of her supplanted her affection for her cousin, and Jane kept writing expressionlessly.

"Do not hesitate to stay longer if she still feels a little weak. I would hate her to fall ill again."

"Do not worry, Mr Rigsby" Lisbon replied, nearly laughing at the hint of hope she perceived in his voice. "Grace knows her limits. She will not try to overwork, especially if she feels weak."

Her words seemed to reassure the tall man. Soon enough, Jane finished his letter and called his butler to post it. The two gentlemen left for a horse riding, Sophie exited the library claiming she wanted to practice whatever activity and Lisbon returned to her cousin's side, intending to report everything in detail.

**-G&M-**

The night was well-advanced when Jane woke up. He glanced around him and realized he had fallen asleep in the library couch once again, an opened book on his lap. He shook his head, annoyed, and stood up. Thankfully the candle hadn't completely melt and there was enough wax left to hold till his bedroom.

This was the third night he had fallen asleep in the library. Jane sighed again; he would have to be more careful. If Rigsby heard where he spent the first part of the night, the tall man would definitively keep him under surveillance or make sure he was in his room at decent hour. The blonde smirked and shook his head. What he had done to earn Wayne's loyalty and friendship, he still wondered. And speaking of loyalty...

He stopped in front of Van Pelt's bedroom and stared at the door. Despite not having engaged a conversation with the young woman, Jane had a pretty good idea of the redhead's mindset. Gentle, loving, good-natured and probably many more qualities. A perfect match for his friend. The blonde snorted. Oh he doubted strongly Grace Van Pelt was deceiving them; given Miss Lisbon's obvious fondness for her, the redhead had a kind heart. He was more worried about Rigsby's behavior towards her and the young lady's mother, Rebecca Van Pelt. Many times, his friend had fallen or grown attached to women with ill-defined intentions, but Miss Van Pelt was the first to rise such interest in him. He would have to wait until meeting the young woman face-to-face to draw his own conclusions, but he was quite sure the main threat laid with Mrs Van Pelt and her matchmaking schemes.

His eyes fell on the next door. Lisbon's bedroom. He took a few steps and stopped in front of it. For a second, he was tempted to knock, see if she was awake, waiting to hear some noise again to wander in the corridors. The previous night, when he realized he was being followed by a woman, he had first thought Sophie had crossed the line and was ready to tell her off once and for all. But his surprise was complete when he caught the small dark-haired young woman instead.

Lisbon was then shaking, fear in her eyes. Jane had imagined her reaction was due to the surprise of being caught, but afterthought, he knew her mind had gone elsewhere. Despite his lack of interest in the region, he still heard the rumors running around, especially concerning the story of the Lisbon family...

A drop of wax fell on his finger, waking him up from his reverie. Jane brushed the solidifying liquid away before moving on.

Surprised he had been indeed. But, he had to admit, also intrigued. The reason that had pushed her to follow him in the corridors? Curiosity she had claimed. And if it hadn't been for the determined and defiant glint in her eyes, he might have not believed her. Women had tempted him in the middle of the night before, 'accidentally' meeting him in front of his bedroom door in their nightgown. The thought of Lisbon been one of them disgusted him greatly, especially since he admitted having a little...weakness for her.

Who could blame him? The woman was intelligent, well-behaved, yet passionate -she could easily argue with him without completely loosing her temper in front of her host- and very attractive. And he, Patrick Jane, had never been one to deny the beauty of things -or in this case, women. The previous night, Lisbon probably hadn't realized it, but her nightgown had undone itself slightly during her hasty retreat and exposed the pale skin and delicate line of her collarbone. For a brief moment, Jane wondered if he would have turned her offer down if she _had_ been intending to seduce him...

The thought barely crossed his mind that his right hand reached for his ring finger. Vacant. The man closed his eyes and pushed away any troublesome thoughts threatening to appear. His grip over the chandelier became firmer and he resolved himself to walk to his own bedroom. Hopefully, he would manage to finish his night this time.

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**Let me know if this rules or really sucks :P **

**And thank you for reading so far :) **


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry guys, I really have been late on everything. I'll try to update my other stories soon since I'll soon return to my beloved laptop in France instead of working on the netbook -_-. Anyway, hope you enjoy this till the next chapter ^^"**

**Disclaimer: if I owned Mentalist or P&P, I wouldn't have to worry about my bank account and I'd be very, very old. Unfortunately and fortunately, I am neither :P Mistakes are mine, but hope you'll enjoy this (won't blame you if you don't :P)**

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**Glare and Mockery**

**7**

Lisbon glanced outside the window. The sun was slowly rising and the sight, once again, stole her breath away. Returning her attention on her cousin, she contemplated the still form deep asleep, buried under countless covers. If Grace knew she had deserted her own room to spend the night in hers, she would worry and suspect something was going on. And for good reasons. The previous night, Lisbon had awakened about the same time she had the previous day and had clearly heard the footsteps stopping behind her door. For a few moments, she had not known what to think. Was it Jane again? Why was he halting in front of her door? Was he intending to knock? What should _she_ do if he did?

Her wonders ceased when the footsteps faded away. But still, the knot of anxiety remained. What if he came back? She had fled to her cousin's room for safety, knowing sleep would not find her after this.

The whine of a horse in the afar caught her attention and she scanned the landscape in attempt to identify its origin. It took her a few seconds to spot a lone rider heading towards the mansion, pushing his horse at its extreme limits. The man slowed down as he arrived and from her position, Lisbon recognized the blond curls shining in the sun. Jane jumped off his saddle and, holding the horse's reins, walked inside the yard. His butler appeared and hurried towards the newcomer to take care of the animal.

The young woman crossed her arms and leaned against the window frame. Jane said something to the Asian man and ran his hand through his hair, messing them a little more. For a few seconds, his shirt opened to uncover his chest, skin glimmering under the sunlight. He must have been sweating a lot, she thought concentrating more on his silhouette. The shirt was sticking at him like a second skin and when he stretched his arms, involuntarily exposing more skin got to the fresh air, her heart skipped a beat. Broad shoulders, a nicely defined chest, strong arms...Her cheeks flushed slightly and Lisbon was half glad when he put on the coat his butler handed out to him. As insufferable and annoying the could be, Jane remained a very handsome man.

Suddenly, he glanced up in her direction.

From this distance the blond man couldn't possibly figure out her face, but Lisbon still felt the wave of embarrassment of being caught red-handed watching him. He stood still and kept -seemingly- looking at her. The young woman had a hard time detaching her gaze from his figure. She could almost picture the expression over his face, wondering who was the lonely figure standing behind the window...

The sound of ruffling sheets made her look away. In the bed, Grace was moving, slowly waking up. Lisbon immediately rushed by her side. The redhead blinked heavily and frowned at her sight.

"I am pleased to see you but please tell me why aren't you in your room?" Her sleepy tone was mixed between disapproval and curiosity.

"Don't worry Grace." Lisbon replied soothingly. "I woke up early."

It was a half-lie and obviously her cousin did not believe her, for she asked worryingly:

"What is bothering you Teresa?"

The dark-haired shook her head and smiled tightly.

"Nothing. If you feel better, perhaps we should leave soon, don't you think?"

**-GM-**

"Are you sure this is not premature?" Risgby asked with a hardly restrained heart-broken expression on his face. Both Van Pelt and Lisbon smiled gently, although the redhead's eyes held some disappointment too.

"Grace is well enough to travel now" Lisbon spoke carefully. "And we would hate to abuse of your hospitality any longer."

Her sentence was received with a vehement protest from their host, a hint of satisfaction from Sophie and indifference from Jane; although the brunette couldn't really tell...since his kiss two nights ago -and the moment of staring this morning, she avoided his gaze at all costs. They were sitting outside around a fuming cup of tea, enjoying the warmth of the mid-morning sun. Van Pelt spoke in turn:

"We will forever remain grateful for your generosity, sir." At the gentleness of her tone, a genuine smile grew on Rigsby's face.

"The pleasure was all mine. I am glad you are no longer suffering." The redhead smiled again and the two shared a long, smitten-like look. Sophie discreet coughing brought them back to present. "When is your coach suppose to arrive?" the tall man asked, blushing slightly from his momentary distraction.

"Tomorrow morning" Lisbon almost laughed at the relief on the man's face, knowing they were not departing the very day. "Aunt Rebecca has use of the horses this afternoon" she added, although the brunette suspected her aunt wanted to delay their return as much as possible.

"Good, good" the tall man muttered, nodding thoughtfully, and Lisbon wondered if he was trying to find a reason for them to stay too. The table remained silent a few seconds before Sophie commented on the french croissants they had been eating for breakfast. Grace agreed they tasted delicious and added she knew a little salon downtown that served pastries. Rigsby was immediately back in the conversation, naming a few chefs he had come to know over the years and that were, according to him, unbeatable in their domain. After a few minutes of amusement at their passionate culinary interaction, Lisbon started to get bored; she had no particular knowledge of their subject of conversation, and nether had the desire to change it. She excused herself from the table and decided to head to the library in search of a book to read. Her absence was barely noticed by the three. Jane however...

**-GM-**

From the door, Jane watched Lisbon's silhouette moving slowly in front of the shelves of the library. A little after she left the table, he had decided to follow her example and retreated in turn under the pretext of wanting to write a letter. He knew Sophie would have followed him, if it wasn't for her brother asking details about a restaurant somewhere in the south. The blond man had then headed to the library, knowing the strong probability to find her there. And once again, his instincts had been right. The brunette was scanning the titles of the books on the shelve, hunting for something she would judge appropriate for her mood. Her gaze settled on a medium-sized volume and, after pulling it out of the perfect rank, headed towards the couch close to the window. He waited until she was seated and had turned a few pages to make his entrance. Engrossed in her reading, she did not hear him approach.

"Are you leaving because my presence makes you uncomfortable?

Her shoulder tensed as she slowly detached her eyes from her page to meet his gaze. Had he not be his usual observant self, he would have missed the slight pink over her cheeks. So he did affect her, he thought with an inside smirk. But to his great satisfaction, she managed to regain her composure as quick. Jane held a great respect for people having a good self-control, even though he was pretty sure she would not appreciate the compliment coming from him.

"Of course not Mr Jane" the young woman replied, her voice perfectly steady. "Grace and I thought it would be inappropriate to stay any longer now that she had recovered, and your presence does not make me nervous. Why should it?"

The blond man shrugged and sat on the opposite side of the couch she was sitting in. As he expected, her spine straightened. He smirked.

"Perhaps because I acted a little too freely upon your person the other night."

Lisbon's jaw tightened as she concentrated hard on the book at hand, apparently firmly decided to ignore his baits. Her behavior amused the man even more; ignoring him would have probably worked after a while, but he knew Teresa Lisbon would not be able to remain silent if he teased her a little more. "Have I offense you so badly?"

The brunette snapped her book shut and stared at him intensely. The fire in her eyes almost made him shiver.

"I do not belong to that cast of women who would gladly receive your attentions, Mr Jane. Did you come here for the sake of your amusement again?"

Jane shrugged noncommittally.

"Perhaps I did. Although we share many passions, gastronomy is not something I enjoy discussing with Rigsby. Right now, I am enjoying your company much more."

"Heavens" she swore with a hardly disguised annoyance. "What have I done to encourage your interest?"

Jane's grin widened: "You have been yourself; a diplomatic yet tempered and adventurous beautiful young woman." before she could react, he caught her hand and brought it to his lips. "And I have to confess, I will miss your presence. Of all of my acquaintances, you are without a doubt one of the most entertaining."

Lisbon's cheeks flushed crimson as he pressed his mouth against her palm. The moment he released her, she threw him a sharp glare, stood off the couch and hurried towards the door.

"Miss Lisbon!" he called after her. The young woman halted, sighed and turned back to face him. He scanned her thoughtfully again, took in her slim and lean figure, her dark hair falling over her shoulders, her pale skin and green eyes. The man shifted more comfortably on his seat and blurted: "If I knock at your door tonight, will you let me in?"

He knew the statement was overly suggestive from his part, but he could not help himself; the young woman had obviously dealt with people like him before and he felt comfortable enough to drop comments he would have never dared to voice with anyone else. So he was slightly taken aback when Lisbon did not explode in anger as he expected her to, but looked extremely upset, shocked and...sad?

"Unbelievable" she muttered, before turning away from him and leaving the room.

As she exited, Jane thought he had perhaps gone too far, and surprised himself by feeling guilty about it.

* * *

**A bit short, I know, but next chapter should be a little bit longer. In the meantime, let me know what you think of this one ^^" **

**Thank you for reading so far!**


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